Professional Interview

A primary objective of the Principles of Engineering course is to give our students a perspective on the different fields of engineering one could persue beyond High School. What better way to work towards this awareness than to conduct an interview with an engineer?

A selection of interesting people with engineering backgrounds. How many of these people can you name?:




Overview
Conduct a personal interview with a professional in the field of engineering, engineering technology, or another high-tech, high-demand field. Interview documentation must follow the outline format described below and consists of three major components: Professional Background; Interview; Interviewer Reflection. Completed interview documentation must be posted to your online portfolio (blog).


1. Discuss with your instructor who you would like to interview. Obtain instructor approval.

2. Contact the person you will be interviewing and obtain consent.


Professional Background

3. Gather the information below. Use the buddy system for all interviews. No interviews are to be conducted in private

a. Interviewee name:

b. Interviewee’s specific degree:

c. Interviewee’s place of employment:

d. Interviewee’s email address and/or phone:


Professional Interview

4. Ask interviewee the questions listed below and record exact responses in your engineering notebook. If you wish to ask additional questions, seek instructor approval.

· Please describe your engineering field.



· What is your current job title?



· Please describe your particular job and duties.



· What is your average work schedule?



· Starting with high school, describe your educational background chronologically.



· If you had it to do over, related to your career or education, would you do anything differently?



· What advice would you give to me as someone interested in pursuing a career path similar to yours?


Personal Reflection

5. Reflect on your completed interview and answer the following questions. You may also add additional reflections or thoughts.

a. What surprised you the most about the interview?

b. What was the most important piece of information that you learned form the interview?

c. How has this interview influenced your feelings about your future career?